Denver is the defending Summit League champ. The game against Central Arkansas will be the featured event for Bradley’s annual Homecoming weekend.

From Sept. 12 through Oct. 4, the Braves play six consecutive games away from Peoria. That stretch includes games at San Diego (Sept. 12), Cal State Northridge (Sept. 14), Loyola (Sept. 27) and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (Oct. 4). In between are games against Marshall (Sept. 19) and Mercer (Sept. 21) in the Evansville tournament. Mercer is coached by former Bradley assistant Brad Ruzzo.

Bradley’s other road games are Oct. 25 against defending MVC regular-season champion Missouri State and Oct. 31 against Big Ten newcomer Rutgers.

The MVC tournament runs Nov. 12, 14 and 16.

Tickets for the 7 p.m. exhibition against Notre Dame will go on sale July 9. Tickets are $10 each or $6 for groups of at least 15.

“The chance to have the University of Notre Dame as the defending national champion come to Peoria, and in a World Cup year, is a great opportunity for central Illinois to see one of the elite college soccer teams in the country,” Bradley coach Jim DeRose said.

The Irish are the fourth defending champs in any sport to visit Peoria. Cincinnati men’s basketball played at Bradley after both of its titles, which were won in 1961 and ’62. Oklahoma State men’s cross country ran here in the regional the year after winning the 2009 NCAA title.